Arabic version: حلفاء يدينون قرار إسرائيل بشأن ضربة استهدفت عمال إغاثة

According to Al Jazeera, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have condemned Israel’s decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into its deadly 2024 strike on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza. In a joint statement released on Friday, the three countries’ foreign ministries called the decision “shameful” and urged Israel to comply with international humanitarian law.

The ministries said they had spent more than two years pressing Israel to ensure accountability for the drone strike in central Gaza. “This decision is both too little, and too late. The victims of this incident and their families deserve justice and accountability, and we will continue to seek answers on their behalf,” the statement said.

Seven World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed after overseeing a food aid shipment in April 2024: three Britons, a dual US-Canadian national, a Pole, an Australian and a Palestinian. Israel’s military described the strike as a “tragic mistake”, but announced on Wednesday that it would not launch investigations into the attack. The announcement followed a review of 150 incidents of Israeli troop conduct during the war on Gaza, including the killing of five-year-old Palestinian child Hind Rajab.

Poland’s foreign ministry said separately on Friday that it was “very disappointed” by Israel’s decision and had summoned Israel’s ambassador in Warsaw. Australia summoned Israel’s ambassador in Canberra on Thursday. World Central Kitchen said on Wednesday that Israel’s decision was “inconsistent with the truth” and called for an independent investigation, saying the Israeli army could not credibly investigate its own conduct. UK minister for the Middle East Stephen Doughty said his government would continue to seek urgent answers.